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Contemporary Landscape - Landscape Photo of a large contemporary partial sun side yard formal garden in summer.

arlovasquez‌:

One of the last people Arlo expected to see while he was out was Ben. But here he was, standing in the same coffee shop he was. 

“I’m not well. And it’s trashed. Well, it was trashed. I’ve been cleaning the last few days but I can only the find the energy to do a few things at a time, ya know?”

He went silent, sitting in the chair. He turned his head back to the window and watched the people outside for a few moments before he turned back to Ben. “How’re you?”

He looked down at his feet as Arlo spoke as if he was ashamed of what had happened that night. “Why not just hire a professional cleaning crew or whatever? I’m sure they have enough manpower to clean it an hour.” He suggested, 

“I’m fine.” He wasn’t fine, actually. But he thought saying it out loud would convince himself that he was fine. “Have you ever had a pissed off wife before?” He asked, rhetorically, “Because it’s not my idea of a good time.” Things seemed tense for everyone. New Year’s Eve fucked up everyone. “Have you spoken to Chessie?”

arlovasquez‌:

The days crawled by with little to no brightness to them; not in a physical sense but within his mind. Everything to Arlo was bleak and dark. He hadn’t smoked, painted, or done anything productive in days. This was the first day he’d actually gotten the motivation to put on regular clothes and head out for a walk.

And he walked for hours because he knew if he stopped, he wouldn’t want to keep going. But he needed to get something to drink, so he stepped inside a small coffee shop of 34th and ordered a black coffee, setting his stuff on a table near the window and gazing out.

“Fuck.”

It was just by coincidence that he had spotted Arlo. In fact, Ben wouldn’t dare set his feet in a “hipster” coffee shop. He was too good for New York Hipsters. However, he stopped in his tracks when he saw Arlo. Before he could stop himself, he was inside. And approaching the other man. 

“Arlo.” He stated, “You look worse than I do.” He wanted to ask how he was since everything went down. He hadn’t spoken much to anyone since the arrest. Maybe that was because he was also keeping himself in isolation. “How are you?” He finally blurted after the internal struggle his brain was creating inside. “How’s your place since everything went down?” He didn’t remember much about the cops coming in but he figured it would’ve been left a mess from them at least.

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

Chessie barely heard what they said, eyes closing for a moment to silently pray the room would stop spinning. Her head turned towards Arlo as he stood, a hand reaching out to her. She took far too long to respond, before a smile finds her, and she’s on her feet. “We should dance,” she repeats the words back with a nod, an arm wrapping around Arlo’s middle in an attempt to keep herself upright. Leaning against him, she danced along with him – Or at least, attempted to. 

Being unable to feel her face wasn’t something uncommon for her, but this time around – It kept her from noticing the nose bleed that had begun somewhere between getting up, and the moment she noticed blood dripping onto her dress. “Shit,” she began, half stepping away from him to wipe her nose with the back of her hand. “Oh, fuck – This dress is – Shit.” She slurred, spewing half sentences as panic began to settle in. “Shit..” Chessie grumbled once more, free hand landing on Arlo’s shoulder, in an attempt to steady herself. It’s unclear how much time as passed, before she opens her eyes once more. “I just – Need to sit.” With a nod, she lets go of him, managing to stumble a foot away, before her eyes rolled back and shit hit the ground, unconscious. 

Dancing was supposed to be a fun idea; something to keep energy up. At least, that was Arlo’s intentions.

 When Chessie pulled away he looked to her, confused.There was a pattern of crimson on her dress that trailed from her nose. “Chessie, are you okay?” He asked her. But she didn’t answer him - only ranted about the dress for a moment before putting her hand back on his shoulder. She was like that for only a few seconds before walking away and falling.

Arlo didn’t react at first. As his eyes dropped with her, he merely stood there and observed her. “Chessie?” He called out after a few moments of silence. “You okay?” 

When she didn’t respond he approached her body and knelt done, putting two fingers over her neck. The pulse was there but weak. 

 Arlo looked up in panic, knowing something terrible had happened, probably something to do with the speedball they just did. 

 “I think she overdosed Ben. We need to get help!”

He didn’t realize anything serious was happening until he saw her hit the ground. That wasn’t supposed to happen. And it’s not like she’d be playing dead or whatever. Ben crawled towards her and Arlo,.

This was it. A repeat of what had happened before. Why did this always happen to him? And this was another reason why he didn’t want to come back. It wasn’t fun watching someone overdose right in front of you. This time it was different, he knew her. Hell, he lived with her. And there were no cops beating down the door. 

He then looked at Arlo before looking down at her. 

“We gotta call 911,” He insisted as he reached into his pockets to find his phone. They were in no state to drive her. His hands were shaking, and he wasn’t sure if it was from the drugs or nerves. The EMTs would probably be more worried about her than the drugs, thankfully. “Here you talk to them, I don’t know your address.” He handed his phone to Arlo. There was a lump forming in his throat, wondering if she was even going to be okay.

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

She hardly hears what the say, focus taken by the small bag they’re passing around. Part of her immediately regrets letting Arlo take the first hit, purely from her own impatience. It’s a bad idea, intentionally taking something laced, especially given her current state – But thanks to the high she’s already riding, Chessie doesn’t care. With a smile, she takes the bag from Ben, staring at it for a moment with bottom lip caught between her teeth. 

She cuts a line, and takes it with ease. Eyes falling shut soon after, she wipes at her nose to get rid of any excess, sniffling in the process. Breathing deeply, she nods, “S’fuckin’ lovely.” Chessie settles with, words slightly slurred, as she turns to Arlo with a grin, confirming his words from a moment ago. “I wish I would have got more,” she continues, a certain dizziness finding her after. Had the room always been spinning? Trying to disregard it, Chessie dips her finger into the small bag, picking up the last of the contents to rub against her gums. Trying to enjoy the moment, she takes a deep breath in, pushing her hair out of her face and behind her ears – Instead of commenting on how hot the room had begun to feel, or the way her heart was slamming against her chest. 

“Honestly? I think I’m okay without any more. I feel absolutely wonderful and like I could do anything,” Arlo said, leaning himself back to lay on the floor. 

When he got high with marijuana, the room would become less focused and almost whimsical in a way. Things would shift ever so lightly but everything would feel light to him in the process. With cocaine, however, he was finding himself sharp and focused, a welcome difference. 

“I can hear the music really well,” he said pushing himself up to stand. “Chessie, you should dance with me!” He extended a hand towards her. 

Could she really handle more? Damn, he was impressed. Here he was assuming Chessie would be the lightweight out of all of them when it was really him. That’s what he gets for not doing this shit for two years. He was pretty content for now. He felt like he could be anything he wanted to be at this point. King Kong, Jeff Goldblum. Whoever he wanted to be thanks to Chessie and Arlo for sharing their stash. 

With a nod, he agreed with Arlo, “I’m good right now.” He said as he leaned back more. “Ben watched Arlo invite Chessie up, perfectly content to stay on the floor. “Yeah, you two do that.” He said with a laugh, “In the meantime, I’ll be looking for my beer.” 

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

“S’lot better than pot,” Chessie confirmed with a nod, laughing lightly. Had she gone into this moment without having downed a bottle of vodka – This would have been… stranger. Her, Arlo, and Ben Vanderbilt? The latter would surely cause a rift in their shared home by tomorrow – Chessie didn’t know much about him and King, but as far as she could tell, they’d given up on drugs. At least, it’s what she could assume, based on second hand stories she heard. It should have concerned her more, that she was introducing Arlo to the substance, just like she had with Quinn. That guilt would find her soon enough. 

At their questions, Chessie nodded – “Powerball is the lottery, dumbass.” She began first, giving Ben a pointed look, before explaining. “It’s supposed to like, take the edge off, ya’know?” The explanation didn’t come out quite as clear as it sounded in her head, words still slurred even with her lifted mood and sudden burst of energy. “Ro’s just being an idiot, as usual,” she grumbled to herself, pulling a dime bag from her purse. “I’ve never tried it before,” Chessie spoke honestly, words trailing off as she gave the bag a wide eyed look, “Lets just –” she continued, created a fist with her free hand, pouring a small pile onto it before holding it out to Arlo. “You try it first,” She suggested with a smile, “Consider it a late Christmas present.” 

It was kind of fun for a moment to sit back to watch the other two banter a bit, laughing as Chessie corrected Ben about the Powerball. 

“Take the edge off? I usually wouldn’t say no to anything that helps with that,” Arlo said with a smirk. He curled his legs under himself and watched with rapt attention as Chessie poured the substance onto her hand. Rising to his knees, he shifted closer, lowering his head and sealing off a nostril and inhaled. 

There wasn’t really a burn this time and Arlo almost immediately felt the affects take hold. 

“Merry fucking Christmas, then…” he said quietly, eyes closed from the euphoric feeling crashing over him. When his eyes fluttered open at last, he shifted his gaze upwards to Chessie and smiled softly.

“Mmm. Lovely.”

“It’s fucking powerball,” He insisted. They had a certain type of banter, but at the end of the day, he still considered her somewhat of a friend. Back in the day, Ben was a bit more experimentative. His frontal lobe wasn’t fully developed yet, he thought that he was invincible. However, he had never speedballed before. Now, his judgment was as poor as it had been previously. He was up for anything and everything. The consequences were well past his thoughts. 

He then watched Arlo inhale, a smirk on his face as he did so. He missed this a lot. And now, he couldn’t wait for his turn. He felt like a little kid waiting for his share of candy. Now it was his turn and he tried to contain his excitement in. 

“And a happy new year.” He cheered before tipping his nose down and inhaling the drug. “All yours.” He said to Chessie, indicating that it was only fair if it was her turn now. 

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

She wasn’t sure if it was the coke itself, or the mixture of it with the alcohol – But it didn’t take long for Chessie to feel the effects, smile at her lips. At the sight of Arlo dong his first line, she clapped for him, genuinely proud of him while in this state. “Don’t listen to Ben,” she gives the other man a pointed look, before using the last of the bag to cut three more lines once the mirror made its way back to her. “S’easier than you’d think.” Chessie confirms with a nod, before taking the bill from Ben, inhaling the line with ease. The burn is gone, now. Her face is numb, but Chessie hardly notices, letting her head fall onto Arlo’s shoulder, hand absentmindedly fiddling with the leather harness he was wearing. “Have you guys ever tried like – Speedballing?” She questions after a beat, words slurring. “I tried to get more blow from Ro, but he was being a fuckhead, so I ended up talking to this random guy at the snack table — And he sold me this shit for like,” she pauses for a moment, train of thought briefly lost as she tries to recount the price. “I’unno, but it’s supposed to be good shit.” 

In the few brief moments that passed, Arlo could feel the effects of the cocaine on his body. He could feel the seconds his pupil’s dilated and his body temperature rising; his heart beat also picked up. But he didn’t feel any different than before, just more secure in himself. 

“The masters, eh? It’s nice to learn from someone who knows what they’re doing. When I first started smoking pot, I had no fucking clue what to do,” he said with a chuckle. “But here we are!” 

Arlo cocked his head, turning to Chessie again. “Speedballing? Isn’t that when it’s an upper and a downer mixed or some shit?” 

“Always listen to me, okay? I’m always right.” Ben insisted. “This is a lot better than pot.” Ben pointed out. Doing coke was like no other sensation in the world. He couldn’t believe he was away from it for so long. He then watched Chessie inhale as the cocaine settled into his system. 

“I don’t know what you call it down south but I’ve always heard it’s called a Powerball,” He teased with a shrug. Speedballing was definitely the more popular name. He had never particularly speedballed, mainly because he was not that experimentative with his drugs. Once he found cocaine, he knew that was pretty much his calling. Nevertheless, he knew what she meant. “Rowan didn’t give you more? That’s fucked up.” He exclaimed, clearly a bit out of it. “This other guy must be a superhero.” 

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

The mention of the state of his sheets provokes a concerned look, and wide eyes – As if she’s sat in a pile of mud. Without questioning him further (assuming it’s best probably not to), Chessie moves to the floor, sitting with her back against the end of his bed frame. In the morning, she knows she’ll regret being so frank about what she intended on doing. Surely, it will come to bite her in the ass, that this moment will be a memory wielding guilt and concern. For now, though – She cut three lines without hesitation, sitting on her knees as she moved. She turns to Ben for a moment, smiling as she nods quickly. “New Years is supposed to be fun,” she agreed, pulling a bill from her purse after, rolling it up. “To having a fun fucking year,” Chessie spoke up once more, as if they were making a cheers before shots. Only, instead of shots, she was leaning over a mirror, taking the line without question. The burn didn’t bother her, barely registering in her mind, thanks to the alcohol. As her hand came up to rub her nose with the back of it, she passed the bill to Arlo. “Don’t fuck it up,” she teases with a laugh that’s just a bit too loud, already feeling the effects of the substance. 

“Beer isn’t bad when you’re already drunk, Chessie. It goes down quicker and it’s almost like water,” Arlo said with a grin. “Plus it doesn’t make you want to throw up if you breath right after drinking a sip, unlike shots.” 

He sat back, watching Chessie as she took the line. It was bit bizarre to watch this happening in front of him. Arlo had only seen people do coke in movies, and he certainly never thought he’d be about to do it. 

As the mirror was passed to him, he hesitated. There was another knot forming in his stomach but he willed it away. He put the mirror on 

Taking the bill, he positioned it and leaned over the mirror, holding one nostril shut and inhaling. 

First came the slight burn and then the taste; it was like he had swallowed play-doh. 

“That wasn’t so bad,” he said as he passed the mirror to Ben. 

“Yeah,” He agreed with Arlo, “And if you get the right kind, it doesn’t smell like piss. Or taste like it.” Everyone could use some good beer in their life. 

Ben waited impatiently for his turn. He had watched Chessie have her go at it. She definitely knew what she was doing. 

“I can hold your hand next time,” He joked, “But I don’t think you need it. It’s pretty much like going through the motions of smelling a sharpie.” He definitely wasn’t making sense but he didn’t care. He was about to get to do something he hadn’t done in two years. All of that work to become sober would be gone, and he didn’t care. He took the bill and mirror happily, not wasting much time. As soon pulled his head up, and everything came rushing back. He felt his body warm up, almost like he was Popeye with his spinach. The adrenaline running through him right now was incomparable. “That’s how the pros do it, Arlo. You’re learning from the masters.” He mumbled. 

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

Chessie hummed as he spoke, half listening as she followed alongside Arlo. At his warning, she shared the same laugh (mostly out of drunkness, rather than actual humor). “I kind of fucked up your guest room, too.” She found herself admit, without giving him the chance to react before her attention was on Ben. Her eyes rolled at the sight of him, a smile present on her face. “A’course you’re hiding out,” she comments easily, ignoring his question as she crosses the room, moving to sit next to him on the bed. Tucking her knees under her, she lets out a laugh. “Stop trying to make me drink fucking beer,” she complains, giving him wide eyed look, as if in complete shock that he’d bring the subject up.

“S’about to be a very white Christmas,” Chessie begins again, pulling the two small bags of coke from her clutch. She holds them up with a smile, as if to show them off before turning her attention back to Arlo. “Do you have a mirror we can use?”

Arlo hadn’t expected to seen Ben when he opened his bedroom door, but there he was, drinking a beer away from the other party guests. He couldn’t help but chuckle, not even the least bit bothered by the fact someone was in his room without his knowledge. 

“Hooking up?” He asked with a chuckle. “No, we’re just…” he trailed off, unsure of whether he should actually say it in front of Ben. Though he realized Chessie had no issue with it since she was the one who pulled it out of her handbag.

“Yeah! I’ve got one over here,” Arlo said as he walked towards his dresser. “I keep it here so I can put ties on.” Retrieving the mirror, he crossed back and handed it to Chessie. He stepped back and watched the other two sitting on his bed.

“I would be a bad host if I didn’t tell you that I highly suggest the floor at the present state of my sheets…”

He fixed his posture as they came in. Why did no one else like beer? What the hell was that about? However, he decided to let it go. Chessie sparked his interest immediately when she mentioned white and Christmas, now that Christmas was actually over. Shit. He was past the point where his judgment was just cloudly. It was really almost gone. He watched Arlo get the mirror and hand it to Chessie, and then his eyes were fixated on those two bags. Was he allowed to get in on this too? 

“The floor? Alright.” He said with a shrug, he wasn’t about to argue. “Would you two mind sharing? I usually don’t mooch but this shit is looking very fine.” He admitted as he positioned himself on the floor. “What’s the point of New Year’s Eve if I don’t have fun? I mean if we all don’t have fun.” He slurred as he glanced at Chessie and then Arlo. 

arlovasquez‌:

chessieabernathy‌:

The shot was exactly how he’d described – Chessie took it without missing a beat, and with how drunk she was already, the burning in the back of her through didn’t bother her too much. She couldn’t help but laugh at his reasoning, nodding as he spoke. Before she had a chance to respond, he was leaning in closer, and the topic had taken a much more interesting turn. Even while drunk, Chessie knew exactly what he was referring to – And while it may be a concerning realization in the morning, she couldn’t stop the excitement that found her. “I brought plenty to share,” her tone makes her sound like a child who snuck in candy, a smile at her lips. “Lets go to your room –” she suggested, beginning her way there, even though she wasn’t sure which way to go. “I don’t want to risk getting caught again.”

“Follow me, then,” Arlo said to Chessie, turning to lead the way to a nearby hallway. “My room is back here so it’s away from prying eyes and nosy individuals.” 

There was a familiar knot in his stomach starting to form - it was his anxiety beginning to take root but Arlo shook his head a little bit. There was nothing wrong with trying something just once; it’s not like he’ll get hooked on it after one time, or anything.

“Here we are,” he said, once they reached the door. “It’s a bit of a mess so… forgive me,” he chuckled. Grabbing the doorknob, he opened his room to Chessie.

@benvanderbilt

Ben had entered the bedroom for some quietness, there was only so much social activity he could take. He wasn’t used to these events again yet, which is why he wandered off in the first place. Not to mention that he was a little drunk. At first, he missed the bed and sat on the floor as he looked around. And then he got up once again and attempted to sit on the bed, in which he was successful. He swirled his bottle around as he looked at it.

His attention then turned towards the door as he saw it open. He was a bit delayed as he looked at both Arlo and Chessie, it took a moment to register that they had walked in. “You two aren’t gonna hook up right? Cause I don’t feel like moving right now.” He admitted as he looked at the pair. “Or are you guys here for some beer?”

arlovasquez‌:

“Oh my god, the Looney Toons movie. I honestly forgot that existed. Or maybe I just thought it was some type of fever dream I had as a kid.” Arlo shrugged at Ben’s question, taking another sip. “They used polished metals and shit like that before mirrors were actually around. I don’t think they’re as good as what we have now, but I guess people would make do?”

"That movie was definitely made by people who were high,” he said with a chuckle. Thank God he didn’t live back then. Yeah, he’s one of those hipsters who thinks he could live without technology but not without a mirror. He needed to see himself when he put his hair into a bun. He had a hard time doing it without a mirror. “That’s weird. I’m glad we live in the present rather than the Rennaissance. I would’ve hated having no mirror.”

arlovasquez‌:

“I mean I’m sure someone could smell it on me, but because it’s Europe, no one really cared,” he said with a smirk. “I think he did have a beard later on in life. Well, there’s a self portrait oh him with a long white beard and I assume that’s what he actually looked like at the time? But yeah, there’s a theory that the Mona Lisa is actually just da Vinci in a dress. Maybe that’s why it’s so famous? Cause I honestly don’t know either.” 

“Yeah, they also smoke like chimneys over there. No one can probably smell anything.” Being European was its own culture for sure, especially being French. “I always think of that movie with the Looney Tunes because of that painting. At least I think that was a movie, I’m pretty sure I was a little out of it the first time I watched it.” He figured Arlo would know what he was insinuating. “Did they even have mirrors back then? How was he able to know what he looked like?”

arlovasquez‌:

“It wasn’t too busy when I was there. Or if it was, I don’t think anyone was going to push me around because I must have looked really deep in thought.” He chuckled. “I’m a firm believer that the Mona Lisa was actually da Vinci on drag. I don’t know why I believe that, but I do.”

They probably really thought you were taking a good review of the painting. Little did they know you were just high as fuck,” He joked. “What did he even look like? I always pictured him with a really long beard.” Ben said with a shrug, not that he thought of da Vinci a lot in the first place. “Is that a real theory? Honestly, I don’t even know why a portrait’s so famous.” 

arlovasquez‌:

He smirked at the question, thinking for a moment. “It was a surreal experience seeing the Mona Lisa like that. You know how when you’re high, you see all the little details of things and you get lost in the picture? That happened for about an hour. I stood there and observed every curve and every line. I spent a long time thinking about that little smile she’s showing us. I kept asking myself ‘why is she smirking? What is she hiding,’ ya know?”

“Shit, that’s a perfect idea,” He was mad that he didn’t think about doing that himself. “Did you go at a good hour when people weren’t pushing and shoving?” The Louvre got busy. He would know since he visited a ton of European museums. “Isn’t there something about that painting? An effect or something? She’s probably hiding that she’s seen da Vinci naked?”

arlovasquez‌:

“I’d have a hard time not taking a dog home and making my roommates upset by not asking them,” Arlo said with a chuckle. “I’ve never been piss drunk anywhere. I don’t get drunk all that often. High, though? Oh I’ve been stoned out of my mind at the Louvre once. That was a trip.” 

“I would’ve if we didn’t move around a lot, that wouldn’t have been fun for the dog. Trust me, though, it was very tempting,” Ben knew about being stoned all too well. He’s been way more than stoned at a lot of points in his life. “Getting crossfaded is the best. I highly recommend it. Shit, did you see the Mona Lisa high? That’s amazing.”

arlovasquez‌:

“I’ve travelled quite a bit, actually. Did some before I turned twenty-one and it was one of the best decisions of my life.” Arlo paused, looking around the room a moment before bringing his attention back. “I mean I still travel when I get the chance to, but it’s less frequent now.”

“Same. Out of all the places, I have to say Greece was the best out of all the places I’ve visited. It was warm there,” which he was a huge fan of, “I married my wife there, and there were stray dogs everywhere. Do you know how many times I wanted to take home a dog?” He asked rhetorically. “Have you ever been piss drunk in the middle of Venice before? It’s pretty dangerous.”

arlovasquez‌:

Arlo stood at the sidelines, watching the other guests laughing and drinking. Not that he was having a bad time by any means, but he just needed a moment to step to the side and be a watcher, not a participant. 

He turned to the person beside him and listened for a moment, a small smile on his face. “The legal drinking age over there is 18 and the man is ancient. I’m sure they think he’ll be fine.”

Wow, that smile was pretty contagious. Ben looked down as he caught himself smiling back. He always found it better to conceal any emotion, even if it was just a friendly one. “Every other place has a lower drinking age than here,” However that never stopped Ben from having his first drink as a young teenager. Having alcohol at events just seemed like part of growing up. “Have you ever been abroad before?”